By Cheryl Streberger
As you all may have read the House Republicans voted on a budget bill which should have been done in July. I have great concerns because this budget is very bad, harmful to State Employees, Citizens of this state and potentially to Retirees. Saying that I contacted Anthony Estelle, Executive Director, Michigan Office of Retirement Services. I asked him if this budget issue is not resolved by October 1, 2025 is there a plan in his office to assure retirees that their pension and benefits will not be affected. His response was: “The impact of a shutdown to pension recipients, if any would depend on the duration. We have a robust contingency plan in place for business continuity. The continued processing of pension payroll and insurance benefits is considered the highest priority of the State. Plans would ensure that those payments would continue, even in the event of a prolonged shutdown”.
So, we are continually monitoring the process and will keep everyone up to date on the progress. I have been reviewing the budget bill and it is a bad bill…..A BAD BILL.
Editor’s note: Cheryl Streberger is Chair of the Michigan SERA Coordinating Council. She may be reached at cstreberger@yahoo.com or 517/515-9815.